3.18.2009

I am incorrigibly attracted to stripes. I just can't help it--stripes are so simple, but they add pizzazz and they're just so easy to wear. When I went to a local boutique last weekend, I was drawn to yet another striped piece on the half-off racks--a dress with black, gray, and hot pink stripes. Stripes again?!? At least the stripes are vertical!

This dress is obviously fun and very comfortable to wear. What I really love about it is the potential to rework it for work. The batwing sleeves and drapey collar, not to mention the hot pink stripes, would contrast very well with conservative pieces, while the black and gray stripes keep the wildness factor a bit more tamped down. I think the dress would look funky yet professional with a cardigan or a blazer, but if it needs to be toned down more, a well-fitting pencil skirt will do the trick.

Here's how I wore it for a deposition. I had to look professional, but since I have been working in a relatively remote area and the drive is very long, I wanted to wear something fun and not too constricting. That's why I decided to pair the dress with a charcoal gray blazer, a black skirt, and black pumps.

Thanks, ladies! I think it takes a certain type of material or cut for the dress to not bunch up under a skirt. It's hard to find the happy medium--fabric that's neither too stiff nor too slinky. It needs to be somewhat heavy enough that it'll drop straight down and stay that way.

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